Re: Merc. 488 good/bad?
I am thinking about checking out a boat with a Merc 488 4 cyl motor in it, but a little voice in my head tells me I read some bad thing about that motor. Any advice good, bad or otherwise on this motor?
Bad. Basically a Mercury designed aluminum block engine with a Ford 460 head. It was not very successful. When they run good, they're fine.
If you have problems (and there are many), if you can fix them yourself, you're still fine.
If you cannot, and you must pay someone else to fix them, it goes down hill rapidly
Do a search and you'll find all the info.
Understand that you'll get a whole lot of people with 3.7L engines chiming in that have learned to fix them and keep them running......
Don't let them sway you too far......... Mercury discontinued the 3.7L engine for a reason.
